This is a zine dedicated to black metal written by a follower of the left hand path, This zine has been around in a different format for a while and I have decided to make an edition for www.blogger.com, for more information email occultblackmetalzine@yahoo.com, new albums as well as classic albums will be reviewed on here as long as their good quality black metal,

Friday, March 31, 2017

Sunken are a band from Denmark that plays a very atmospheric form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Departure" which will be released in My by Triton's Orbit.

Atmospheric soundscapes start off the album and also adds in a a touch of ambient and after the intro the music goes into a very fast and raw black metal direction which also uses a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats while also mixing in a decent amount of melody and most of the tracks are very long and epic in length.

Vocals a re mostly grim yet high pitched black metal screams and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts while the solos and leads bring in a very modern, atmospheric yet melodic style and acoustic guitars can also be heard in certain sections of the recording and synths also return on the later songs.

Sunken plays a style of black metal that is very modern and atmospheric while also having its raw moments, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover the ocean, nature and melancholy themes.

In my opinion Sunken are a very great sounding atmospheric black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Void" and "Departure". 8 out of 10.

This is a review of a split album between France's Ysengrin and Spain's Sartegos called "Resvrrezionespiritval" which will be released in April by Caverna Abismal Records and we will start off the review with Ysengrin a band that h as been featured before in this zine and plays an occult mixture of black, death and doom metal.

Their side of the split starts out with ambient style keyboards and after awhile melodic guitar leads are added onto the recording which also mixes in with the heavier riffs and the riffs also use a decent amount of melody while the vocals bring in a mixture of death metal growls, black metal screams and clean singing.

All of the musical instruments on their side of the recording have a very powerful sound to them while the keyboards also bring in a very occult and horror movie orientated atmosphere and female vocals are also used briefly and most of their tracks are slow and epic in length and stick to either a slow or mid paced musical direction while speeding up briefly which also gives the song a raw touch along with a few blast beats, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover Hermetic, Esoteric, and Alchemy themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Ysengrin and if you are a fan of occult black/doom metal, you should check out their side of t he split. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Solar Birth".

Next up is Sartegos another band that has been featured before in this zine and plays an occult mixture of black and death metal.

Their side of the split starts out with avant garde style synths before going into a very fast and raw black metal style along with a decent amount of blast beats and melodic guitar leads and the riffs also bring in a decent amount of dark sounding melodies while t he vocals are mostly grim black metal screams along with a few growls.

Throughout their side of recording you can hear a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and the fast riffs also use a decent amount of tremolo picking and most of their tracks are long and epic in length, the production sounds very raw and dark yet powerful at the same time while the lyrics are written in Spanish and cover Satanism and Occultism themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Sartegos and if you are a fan of occult black/death metal, you should check out their side of the split. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Umha Danca De Estralas Negras".

In conclusion I feel this is a very great sounding split and would recommend it to all fans of occult black metal. 8 out of 10.

Ulvegr are a band from Ukraine that plays a very raw form of pagan black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Titahion Khaos Manifest" which will be released in April by Ashen Dominion.

Atmospheric soundscapes start off the album along with some pagan and shamanistic elements as well as some tribal style beats and after the intro the music goes into more of a heavier and melodic musical direction and when t he music speeds up a great amount of blast beats can be heard while the guitar leads also use a decent amount of melody.

Vocals are mostly grim yet high pitched black metal screams along with the fast tremolo picking giving the songs a more raw feeling and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and spoken words are also used briefly on a few tracks and the atmospheric and ritualistic elements are also used on some of the later songs and as the album progresses folk instruments can also be heard briefly and a couple of the tracks are long and epic in length and on the closing track the vocals start utilizing a more depressive edge.

Ulvegr plays a style of black metal that is very raw and heavy while also having its atmospheric, shamanistic and ritualistic moments, the production sounds very powerful while the lyrics cover Pagan Mysticism themes.

In my opinion Ulvegr are a very great sounding aggressive and ritualistic pagan/black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Throne Among The Void" "She, Who Grants Suffering" and "Black Light Of A Dying Sun". 8 out of 10.

Sinlust are a band from France that plays an epic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Sea Black" which will be released in April by M & O Music.

Acoustic guitar playing starts off the album and you can also hear all of the musical instruments that are present on the recording and after awhile the music gets more heavy and melodic while also introducing grim black metal screams onto the recording and when the music speeds up a great amount of blast beats can be heard.

When tremolo picking is utilized during the faster sections of the songs it gives the music a more raw black metal feeling and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and clean playing can also be heard in certain sections of the recording along with a brief use of spoken word parts.

Tortured screams can be heard briefly in the background and when guitar solos and leads are utilized they are done in a very melodic fashion while most of the tracks are very long and epic in length and acoustic guitars also are used a lot on most of the later songs and there is also a brief use of deep growls and clean singing is also introduced on a couple of later tracks along with a small amount of whispers.

Sinlust plays a style of black metal that is very raw and epic while also mixing in a decent amount of acoustic passages, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics are a concept album based upon a dark fantasy story.

In my opinion Sinlust are a very great sounding epic black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Red Priestess" "Dawning Of the Volcano God" and "Forgotten's Master". 8 out of 10.

Thursday, March 30, 2017

AnKou are a solo project from France that plays a nature and pagan orientated from of ambient black metal and this is a review of the tracks he has self released on both bandcamp and facebook so far.

Anthropo(s)ce

Clean playing and exotic style female vocals start off the track along with some elements of post rock which is also mixed in with ambient style synths and after awhile heavy guitars a added onto the recording and when the music speeds up a small amount of blast beats can be heard and melodic chants along with war and spoken word samples also being used briefly.

Paysage 54

Spoken word samples and nature sounds start off the track along with some acoustic guitars a few seconds later which also mixes in with the heavier riffs a few seconds later and when guitar leads are utilized they are done in a very melodic fashion.

Litanies Parachutistes

Ambient style synths and drum programming starts off the song and also mixes in with the black metal influenced heavy riffs which also uses a decent amount of melody and you can also hear background voices as well as some demonic vocals and the song is also inspired by the poems of Charles Baudelaire and melodic Gregorian chants are also used briefly.

AnKou plays a musical style that takes pagan, black metal, ambient and post rock and mixes them together to create a sound of his own while the production gives the songs a dark atmosphere.

In my opinion AnKou are a very great sounding mixture of ambient, pagan and black metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this solo project. 8 out of 10.

Nephilim's Howl are a band from Finland that plays a mid tempo form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Through The Marrow Of Human Suffering" which will be released in May by I, Voidhanger Records.

Distorted amp sounds start off the album along with some heavy riffing a few seconds later and all of the musical instruments sound very powerful while a brief use of saxophones can also be heard and clean singing can also be heard briefly before evolving into more of a grim black metal screaming style.

Most of the tracks are very long and epic in length and they also mix the black metal vocal in with the melodic style at times and when guitar solos and leads are utilized they are done in a very dark fashion while also mixing in a decent amount of melody which they also mix in the riffing as well and synths and percussion are also used briefly and when the music speeds up a small amount of blast beats and tremolo picking can be heard which also gives the music a more raw feeling while the main focus is mostly on a slow or mid paced musical direction.

Nephilim's Howl plays a style of black metal that is very mid tempo while also being very original and different at the same time, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover existential themes.

In my opinion Nephilim's Howl are a very great sounding mid tempo black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Of Ordeals And Triumph" and "Against The Worlds That Bind Us". 8 out of 10.

Midnight Odyssey are a solo project from Australia that plays a cosmic and ambient form of black metal and this is a review of his 2017 double compilation album "Silhouettes Of Stars" which will be released in May by I, Voidhanger Records.

Ambient style synths start off the album and also gives the songs an epic atmosphere and they also mix in with the heavier material which also uses a great amount of grim black metal screams and melodic chants/singing can also be heard in some parts of the recording and blast beats can also be heard at times.

A great portion of the tracks are very long and epic in length and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts while the solos and leads are done in a very melodic fashion along with riffs also using a great amount of melody and clean playing is also used in certain sections of the compilation.

One of the tracks is a cover of Emperor's "Cosmic Keys To My Creations And Times" which also introduces spoken word parts onto the compilation and the synths also mix in a variety of many different sounding keys on some of the later songs and acoustic guitars are also used on some of the tracks and one song is an instrumental ambient piece.

Midnight Odyssey plays a musical style that mixes atmospheric black metal with ambient to create a sound of his own, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover nature, space, death and misanthropy themes.

In my opinion Midnight Odyssey are a very great sounding cosmic black metal solo project and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this compilation. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Magica" "Fighting The Seraphim" "Nocturnal" and "A Whisper's Emptiness". 8 out of 10.

Akouphenom are a band from Spain that plays a mixture of black and death metal with some experimental and avant garde structures and this is a review of their self released ep "Flesh Sublimation".

Avant garde soundscapes start off the ep along with spoken word parts a few seconds later and elements of experimental and noise are also used at times and after the intro the music goes into a very fast and raw musical direction that also uses a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats along with some grim black metal screams.

At times the music mixes the experimental and heavy parts together and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with death metal growls also being added into certain sections of the recording and the majority of the tracks are very long and epic in length and when guitar leads are utilized they are done in a very distorted yet melodic fashion while all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to and as the ep progresses elements of bestial black./death and war metal are added onto the recording.

Akouphenom plays a musical style that takes war, black, and death metal and mixes them with avant garde and experimental structures to create something different and original, the production sounds very dark, raw and heavy while the lyrics cover dark, poetic, and philosophical themes.

In my opinion Akouphenom are a very great sounding experimental mixture of war, black and death metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Absurd of the Arkhe" and 'Incorporeal". 8 out of 10.

Katharos XIII are a band from Romania that plays a depressive and atmospheric form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Negativity" which will be released in April by Loud Rage Music.

Drum beats along with some heavy and melodic riffing starts off the album along with some solos and leads that also use a great amount of melody and clean vocals can also be heard at times while e most of the vocals are high pitched black metal screams and all of the musical instruments sound powerful.

At times the music gets very atmospheric along with some synths while acoustic guitars are also added into certain sections of the recording along with some of the tracks being very long and epic in length and when the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard which also gives the songs a more raw feeling and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and as the album progresses whispers and spoken word parts are added onto the recording.

Katharos XIII plays a style of black metal that is very atmospheric and depressive while also having its raw and progressive moments, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover paranoia, depression, strange stories, dark movies and the writings of Mircea Eliade, Cioran and Zola.

In my opinion Katharos XIII are a very great sounding atmospheric and depressive black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Negativity" "Worlds Coffin" and "Inside". 8 out of 10.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Sarkrista are a band from Germany that plays a satanic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Summoners Of The Serpents Wrath" which was released by Purity through Fire.

Rain and thunder sounds start off the album along with some atmospheric synths and after the intro the music goes into a very fast and raw musical direction that also uses a great amount of blast beats and after awhile grim yet high pitched black metal screams make their presence known and the music is heavily rooted in the 90's.

Throughout the recording there is a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and the riffs also bring in a small amount of melody at times and none of the songs ever use any solos or leads along with the tracks also sounding like they could of easily been recorded and released in the mid 90's and pianos are also used briefly along with some tracks being very long and epic in length before returning back to a heavier direction and acoustic guitars are added onto the closing track briefly.

Sarkrista plays a style of black metal that is very raw, traditional and satanic sounding, the production sounds very dark, raw and old school while the lyrics cover blasphemy, Occultism and Satanism themes.

In my opinion Sarkrista are a very great sounding satanic black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Lurking Shadows" "Ascending From The Deep" and "Rituals Of Flames And Skulls". 8 out of 10.

Axioma are a band from Cleveland, Ohio that plays an atmospheric and dark mixture of black, death and post metal and this is a review of t heir 2017 ep "Opia" which was released by Tartarus Records.

A very heavy and melodic sound starts off the ep along with a great amount of blast beats and tremolo picking which also gives the songs a more raw feeling and you can also hear all of the musical instruments that are present on the recording and after awhile aggressive shouts and black metal screams make their presence known.

Elements of doom metal can be heard in the slower sections of the songs and acoustic guitars can also be heard in certain sections of the recording along with one track being all instrumental and as the ep progresses elements of death, dark and post metal are added onto the recording along with some atmospheric soundscapes.

Axioma plays a musical style that takes atmospheric black metal, death, doom and post metal and mixes them together to create something different, the production sounds very powerful for being a self released recording while t he lyrics cover dark and philosophical themes.

In my opinion Axioma are a very great sounding atmospheric and dark mixture of black, death, and post metal and if you are a fan of those musical genres, you should check out this band. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "No God" and "Giver Of Time". 8 out of 10.

Eyelids are a band from Italy that has been featured before in this zine and plays a depressive form of black metal and this is a review of their self released 2017 album "Endless Oblivion".

Atmospheric sounding synths start off the album and after awhile heavy guitars and depressive black metal screams are added onto the recording and when guitar leads are utilized they are don in a very melodic fashion and you can also hear all of the musical instruments that are present on the recording.

Clean playing can be heard briefly and touches of the modern atmospheric sound can also be heard at times and there is also a brief use of acoustic guitars and when the music finally speeds up a small amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard which also gives the song a more raw feeling while the main focus is on a slow or mid paced musical direction.

Eyelids creates another recording that remains true to the depressive black metal style of previous releases, the production sounds very dark and raw while the lyrics cover melancholy, depression, and solitude themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Eyelids and if you are a fan of depressive black metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "II" and "VI". 8 out of 10.

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

Promotion and lots of side projects. We are working on a new video and we just started writing material for the next album. There are also some shows coming up.

2.You have a new album coming out in April, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?The sound of Atra Lumen is very organic, we got that analog vibe which captures greatly the atmosphere we wanted to create. Greg Chandler did a great job at the Priory Recording Studios. You can clearly feel the spirit of the vintage English gear in the recording, the rich harmonics, the wide dynamics and the overall organic sound.The music is also more organic, slow doomy parts and avantgarde details enrich the primordial brutality of the past.Atra Lumen is a journey through the obscure unexplored galleries of esoteric metal. The black light emanating from the core of the universe. A ritualistic and ceremonial approach to Satanic syncretism unveiling hidden paths to illumination and spiritual consciousness. Deconstructing the golden walls of conventional black metal and stepping towards the Ultimate Frontier. This is Satan, and it has to be experienced to be realized.

3.Your lyrics cover a great amount of satanic, occult and philosophical topics, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in the dark arts?My life is dedicated to the dark arts, it’s not just an interest. When one decides to walk the path of black illumination it penetrates his whole body, flesh and soul. There is no high magic without low magic. You can resume it to everyday practice, gathering of knowledge and improving the system of rituals and well being.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Corpus Diavolis'?Corpus Diavolis stands for The Body of The Devil. The pleasures of the flesh. Our lyrics tell our stories dealing with those pleasures. This doesn’t sticks only to physical matters but also concerns spiritual activities… as brain is also made of flesh.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?We had the opportunity to share the stage with bands that we really like and respect, those were the best shows so to speak. I can mention the live with Belphegor and Inquisition, really heavy and brutal ones. Opening for Nightbringer was also a great honor and a great opportunity to meet really inspiring people.A Corpus Diavolis performance is built like a ritual, really ceremonial. Expect lots of candles, incense and shamanic chants.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?We are planning a release show and party in Marseille at the end of April, we’ll be also part of the ATMF festival in Italy on July the 2nd.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?As far as exposure goes, feedback is positive.

8.What is going on with some of the other bands or musical projects these days that some of the band members are a part of?Haiku Funeral’s new album “Hallucinations” was released last year and we are currently working on new tracks and upcoming shows. A new dark ritual ambient project called Antelogos has also been launched, expect a new record very soon. I’m also working on a solo record called Daemonicreation, album is almost completed, style is atmospheric/space black metal.

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?We envision something more brutal. But only the future can tell.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?Mostly occult and avantgarde black metal. NIghtbringer, Abigor, Sinmara, Inferno, Acherontas, Schammasch, Dark Fortress, Deathspell Omega. Also some dark ambient and ritualistic stuff like Nastrond, Shibalba, Atrium Carceri, yelworC, Desiderii Marginis, Karl Sanders… And of course classical rock, Led Zeppelin, traditional folklore music, Buddhist chants, contemporary classical music, Stravinsky….

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Tod huetet Uebel are a duo from Portugal that has been featured before in this zine and plays a very raw and depressive form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 ep "N.A.D.A" which was released by Caverna Abismal Records.

High pitched depressive black metal screams along with fast and raw riffing that also uses a great amount of tremolo picking along with a great amount of blast beats start off the ep along with some aggressive yet melodic guitar leads a few seconds later and the riffs also use a great amount of melody.

Throughout the recording you can hear a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with the vocals also getting very deep at times along with a brief use of growls which add in a touch of death metal and the second track is over 17 minutes in length and also adds atmospheric and ambient elements onto the recording and spoken word parts are also used briefly.

Tod Huetet Uebel creates another recording that remains true to the raw and depressive style of black metal that was established on previous releases, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover misanthropy, death and nihilism themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Tod Huetet Uebel and if you are a fan of raw and depressive black metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACK "Da". 8 out of 10.

Columbia, Missouri's solo project Daven have returned with a new recording that continues the atmospheric and ambient style of black metal from previous releases and this is a review of his self released 2017 ep "Crite: Charlie's Saga".

Sci fi sounds along with heavy guitars and black metal screams start off the ep along with some atmospheric synths and progressive and symphonic elements are also used at times along with all of the musical instruments sounding very powerful and death metal growls can also be heard in sections of the recording.

A decent amount of melody can be heard in the guitar riffing and the solos and leads are also done in a very melodic fashion while the synths also bring in elements of ambient and all of the songs stick to either a slow or mid paced direction and the atmospheric, heavy and melodic parts are always mixed together.

Daven creates another recording that remains true to the ambient and atmospheric style of black metal from previous releases, the production sound s very professional for being a self released recording while the lyrics are a concept album based upon the 'Critters' movies of the 80's.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Daven and if you are a fan of atmospheric and ambient black metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "The Bounty Hunter" and "The Ultimate Killer". 8 out of 10.

Lava Invocator are a duo from Ukraine that plays a very raw form of black metal and this is a review of t heir 2017 album "Mork" which was released as a joint effort between Satanath Records and More Hate Productions.

Ambient style keyboards start off the album along with some acoustic guitars a few seconds later which leads to a heavier direction along with the tremolo picking and blast beats also going the tracks more of a raw feeling while the vocals are mostly high pitched black metal s creams and the guitar leads a re done in a very melodic fashion.

A great amount of 90's era black metal influences can be heard in the bands musical style along with some deep growls also being added into certain sections of the recording as well as the riffs also using a decent amount of melody and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts.

All of the musical instruments sounding very powerful and some of the tracks a re very long and epic in length and there is also a brief use of acoustic guitars and a later track also brings in a small amount of spoken word parts and as the album progresses keyboards also make a brief return on a couple of later songs.

Lava Invocator plays a style of black metal that is very raw, melodic and traditional sounding with a mixture of both modern and old school elements, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover dark themes.

In my opinion Lava Invocator are a very great sounding traditional black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Awaken" "Black Dawn" and "Mork". 8 out of 10.

Monday, March 27, 2017

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

Lascar is a project that started around 2013-2014, I have been listening to Black Metal for years but it wasn’t until I came across a musical genre that for that time was known as Cascadian Black Metal that I decided to get involved in create this kind of music. I was mostly interested in the wall of sound that’s the guitars generated and the theme of nature, so I put that as a base, but I always try to includes different ideas to that mix.

2.How would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recordings?

I think that for the albums my main focus is the feeling of everything. The sensation of being submerge in the sound, but I also try to put a melodic side into the mix, and some ideas that I consider peculiar for the genre, but always keeping the atmosphere as the most important.

3.The lyrical cover nature and mysticism themes, can you tell us a little bit more about your interest in those topics?

It’s hard to explain an interest. I could say that for me, music as always been a thing associated with nature and individuality. My interest in music started probably in road trips, looking trough the windows at the trees, the clouds, the rain and listening songs. The mysticism, as you call it, is associated with the constant search ofanswers I suppose. I really like science also, so when I work in the lyrics more than mysticism I think in “poetic science”.

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Lascar'?

Lascar is the name of a volcano in Chile. I wanted a name of something natural but not descriptive of the sound of the band. I ‘ve found out that means a lot of other things in other countries, and I’m okay withall those others meanings, because it doesn’t matter for me at the end.

5.Currently there is only one member in the band, are you open to working with other musicians or do you prefer to remain solo?

I’ve work in other bands with different people, and hasn’t been the most gratifying experiences. So for now, I prefer to remain solo. Also, I hope that this project last for a long time, so with that in mind, It’s better this way.

6.Currently you are signed to 'A Sad Sadness Song', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?

Yes, when I started to do this I didn’t expect the interest, so working with A Sad Sadness Song, a record who has some bands that I really like, have been a nice chapter in this process.

7.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of post black metal?

Excellent actually, I think that people that listen to this kind of music can see that the project try to make thing a little bit different, but still inside the genre. I’m always surprise by the interest because why I do is very individual, I just try to do the thing that I like to do.

8.Are you or have you ever been involved with any other bands or musical projects?

I’ve been playing alone and in bands for about 15 years, so yeah. But none of those where popular or functioned for a long time, so Lascar is the only one that worth mentioning.

9.Where do you see yourself heading into as a musician in the future?

Keep working on this, and probably other musical projects. Also, being open to new thing that appear across the way, but I don’t like to set gold, or dreams or anything.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

This is hard for me because music is my main interest in life, so there is a lot in different styles and bands, but just to name a few that directly influenced Lascar, I should mention Wolves in the Throne Room, Addaura, Lifelover, Ulver, also Moonspell, My Dying Bride and The Gathering, and probably Sigur Ros, Explosions in the sky and Mono.

Lately I been listening a lot a singer called Aurora, also Gillian Welch and the new Xiu Xiu album, and in metal, the last record of Immolation who’s is my favorite Death Metal band after Death, the new Violet Cold album, and I’ve been listening Keeper of the Seven Keys of Helloween, an album that I know since forever but that I started to enjoy just recently.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?

After finding new music, finding good books probably.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for the support to all the people interested in Lascar, and stay tuned because we are already working to release the new album the second semester of the year.

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new split?

We're continuing to work on new material for our next full-length. We've got a few songs that we're slowly piecing together.

2.In October you had released a split, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?

The split is a natural progression from the The Wayward Ceremony, and continues the dark, dissonant sound from that album. It's also a step up in terms of musicianship and production from the last album, keeping some continuity in terms of the production and artwork as we worked with the same people once again.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

Our concept with this release was to explore the almost pathological need the human psyche has for faith, something which has been present throughout history and across cultures.

4.How does the name 'Haar' fit in with the musical style that you play?

Perfectly – Haar is a Scottish word for a dense, all-enveloping fog, and this suits the bleak, oppressive sound we've tried to create with our music.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?

Our stage performance suits the music and the name – we play wreathed in fog in near-total darkness. Some of our best shows have been while touring with Wodensthrone and A Forest of Stars. Probably a Leeds gig in the now-closed Library was our best gig – perfect sound and atmosphere.

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future?

No plans for further live shows at the moment – we are focused on writing new material.

7.Currently the band is signed to 'Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum', can you tell us a little bit more about the label?

We've been fans of ATMF since the band started. They've always released interesting, experimental black metal like Sanctus Nex and Semen Datura.

8.Recently the band was a a part of a split with 'Ur Draugr', what are your thoughts on the other band that had participated on the recording?

Again, we've been fans of Ur Draugr since their first release on ATMF. Similar to us, their music is dark but progressive. We talked about a number of bands that we'd be interested in releasing this split with – in the end, Ur Draugr were the obvious choice.

9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of black metal?

We've had great press and merch sales from places all over the world. In the UK, we've had great feedback from fans, but press interest hasn't been as strong.

10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We're working another album just now – hopefully recording some time in 2018. Musically, it will be a continuation of what has come before, pushing ourselves to experiment further and reject more traditional black metal ideas.

11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

Bands like Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord, Abigor and Ved Buens Ende were huge influences and continue to be so. We all listen to wide variety of music, but some of the recent picks have been Sinmara, Glorior Belli, Zhrine, Spire, Krypts and Irkallian Oracle.

12.What are some of your non musical interests?

Whisky, hillwalking, fishing, art, reading.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

Thanks for taking the time to check out the split and interview us. We look forward to sending you our next release.

Sunday, March 26, 2017

K.L.L.K are a band from France that has been featured before in this zine and plays an atmospheric form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 ep "Le Brasier des Mondes" which was released by Caligari Records.

Field recordings start off the ep along with some ambient style synths a few seconds later as well as some drones and after the intro the music goes into more of a heavier and melodic musical direction as well as adding in some death metal growls and black metal screams and a few of the tracks are also very long and epic in length.

At times the music gets very atmospheric along with the elements from the intro also being mixed into the heavier sections of the songs and there is also a brief use of angry shouts and when the music speeds up a great amount of blast beats can be heard along with the tremolo picking also giving the songs a more raw black metal feeling.

When guitar solos and leads are utilized they are done in a very distorted yet melodic fashion while some of the slower riffs add in a touch of doom metal and as the ep progresses the music starts getting more experimental and avant garde along with a brief use of spoken word samples and melodic chanting and some songs also bring in a decent mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts while clean playing can also be heard in certain sections of the recording and there are also a couple of instrumentals.

K.K.L.K creates another recording that is also in the experimental and atmospheric style of black metal with this ep, the production sounds very dark and r aw while the lyrics cover Indo Europeanism, Celtic Rituals, Comologies the writings of Julius Evola and Mithraism themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from K.K.L.K and if you are a fan of experimental and atmospheric black metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Le Souffle Primordial" "L'eveil du Ble D'or" and "Le Braiser des Mondes". 8 out of 10.

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Devotion are a band from Chile that plays a very raw, aggressive and melodic form of black metal and this is a review of their self titled 2017 album which was released by Oratorivm Recs.

Thunder sounds start off the album along with some atmospheric synths a few seconds later before going into a very fast and raw musical direction along with a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats while the vocals are mostly grim black metal screams and the solos and leads are very melodic.

Throughout the recording there is a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with all of the musical instrunments sounding very powerful and the music is also very heavily rooted in the 90's while also mixing in a decent amount of Swedish influences and touches of first wave black metal can be heard at times.

Devotion plays a style of black metal that is very raw, aggressive, and melodic in the early 90's tradition, the production sounds very dark, raw and old school while the lyrics cover darkness and rites themes.

In my opinion Devotion are a very great sounding raw and melodic old school style black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Rite Of Sacrifice" "Order Of Chaos" and "Revelations (Sublimation Of Ancient Spirits)". 8 out of 10.

Algeia are a duo from Ukraine that was featured before in this zine as 'My Dying World "Mako'" and plays an atmospheric and depressive form of black metal and this is a review of their self released 2017 album "Coming Storm...".

Acoustic guitars and nature sounds start off the album before going into a very fast, melodic and raw direction which also uses a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them and all of the tracks are very long and epic in length.

One of the tracks is an instrumental while the solos and leads are done in a very melodic fashion and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and when vocals are utilized they are mostly high pitched yer depressive black metal screams along with a small amount of clean singing as well as a brief use of deep growls and acoustic guitars also return in certain sections of the recording and spoken word parts are added onto the last track.

Algeia plays a style of black metal that is very atmospheric and depressive sounding, the production sounds very dark and raw while the lyrics focus more on darkness, nature, and depressive themes.

In my opinion Algeia are a very great sounding atmospheric and depressive black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this recording. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Nails Of Reaper" and "Last Scream". 8 out of 10.

Atrumentum are a band from the Philippines that plays a very raw and satanic form of black metal and this is a review of their self released 2016 album 'Phallusophy".

Melodic guitar leads start of the album along with some high pitched black metal screams a few seconds later and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them and when the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard which also gives the songs more of a raw feeling.

Throughout the recording you can hear a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts while the guitar leads are very dominant throughout the recording and the riffs also bring in a decent amount of melody and the whole album also remains heavy and raw from beginning to ending of the recording.

Atramentum plays a style of black metal that is very raw while also being very much dominated by melodic guitar leads, the production sounds very raw and heavy while the lyrics cover Satanism, occultism and Phallus themes.

In my opinion Atramentum are a very great sounding raw and melodic black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Phalligraphy" and "Phalhalla". 8 out of 10.

Friday, March 24, 2017

Forgotten Woods where a band from Norway during the prime of the second wave era that played a very raw and melodic form of black metal and this is a review of a re-issued double album which contains the 1994 full length "As The Wolves Gather" and 95 ep "Sjel Av natten" which will be re-issued in 2017 as a single album in My by Aeternitas Tenebrarum Musicae Fundamentum.

A very heavy and raw sound starts off the album along with all of the musical instruments sounding very powerful as well as some high pitched depressive black metal screams a few seconds later and you can also hear a great amount of melody in the guitar riffing and the solos and leads also use a great amount of melody.

Clean playing can be heard in certain sections of the recording while some of the tracks are very long and epic in length and most of the songs stick to either a slow or mid paced musical direction while a couple of brief instrumentals can also be heard before returning back to a heavier direction and the songs on the ep display even more of a raw style while also speeding up at times and also mixing in a small amount of tremolo picking and blast beats and one track also brings in a small amount of melodic chants.

Forgotten Woods played a style of black metal that was very different for its time and influenced a lot of the later raw, atmospheric and depressive bands that came out a few years later, the production sounds very dark and raw while the lyrics are written in a mixture of English and Norwegian and cover darkness, nature and night themes.

In my opinion Forgotten Woods where a very great sounding raw and melodic black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this re-issue. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "As The Wolves Gather" "Dimension Of the Blackest Dark" "Through Dark And Forgotten Valleys" and "En natt med storm og ravners skrik". 8 out of 10.

Klabautamann are a band from Germany that plays a progressive form of black metal and this is a review of their 2017 album "Smaragd" which will be released in June by Zeitgeister Music.

Acoustic guitars start off the album and they also bring elements of folk music until the recording along with some drum beats and melodic guitar leads a few seconds alter that also gives the sons a more progressive feeling and when the music speeds up a great amount of blast beats can be heard along with some grim black metal screams.

Clean singing can be heard in certain sections of the recording while growls can also be heard at times and you can also hear all of the musical instruments that are present on this recording and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts while the tremolo picking during the faster sections of the music gives the songs a more raw black metal feeling and as the album progresses elements of jazz and psychedelia are added onto the recording and a couple of the tracks are very long and epic in length and female vocals a re added onto the closing track.

Klabautamann plays a style of black metal that is very progressive and also mixes in elements of folk, psychedelia and jazz to create something very original, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover nature, woods and seas themes.

In my opinion Klabautamann are a very great sounding progressive black metal band and if you are a fan of this musical genre, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Into Depression" "Under Feral Skies" "The Murders" and "Smaragd". 8 out of 10.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

This is the final review of a recording from Oranssi Pazuzu for the time being and is also in the psychedelic style of black metal and the ep is called "Farmakologinen" and will be released in May by 20 Buck Spin.

Atmsopheric drones and soundscapes start off the ep along with some touches of ambient and they also mix in with the heavier sections of the songs and when the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard which also gives the songs more of a raw black metal feeling.

Most of the songs are very long and epic in length along with all of the musical instruments sounding very powerful while the vocals are mostly grim yet high pitched black metal screams and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts and synths are also used in certain sections of the tracks and slide guitars are also added into some parts of the tracks and acoustic guitars are also used briefly.

Oranssi Pazuzu creates another recording that remains true to the psychedelic style of black metal from previous releases while also getting more aggressive, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics cover cosmos and abstract themes.

In my opinion this is another great sounding recording from Oranssi Pazuzu and if you are a fan of psychedelic black metal, you should check out this ep. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Ole Muukalanien" and "Torni". 8 out of 10.

This is a review of another recording from Oranssi Pazuzu which is also in the psychedelic black metal direction and this album is called "Kosmonument" and was originally released in 2011 while the re-issue version will be released in May by 20 Buck Spin.

Avant garde and experimental sounds start off the album along with heavy riffing and psychedelic elements making their presence known a few seconds later and you can also hear all of the musical instruments that are presented on the recording while the vocals are mostly grim black metal screams.

When guitar leads are utilized they are done in a very distorted yet melodic fashion while atmospheric synths can also be heard in certain sections of the recording and some tracks also bring in a small amount of clean guitars along with some of the songs being very long and epic in length.

At times the music can get very progressive and when the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard which also gives the songs a more raw black metal feeling and the songs also bring in a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast part and a touch of doom metal can be heard in some of the slower riffing while some of the tracks are all instrumental and there is also a brief use of spoken word parts.

On this recording Oranssi Pazuzu expanded on the psychedelic style of black metal while also getting more experimental and avant garde, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics are written in Finnish and cover cosmos and abstract themes.

In my opinion this was another great sounding recording from Oranssi Pazuzu and if you are a fan of psychedelic black metal, you should check out this album. RECOMMENDED TRACSK INCLUDE "Komeetta" "Maavaltimo" "Andromeda" and "Kaaos Hallitsee". 8 out of 10.

Oranssi Pazuzu are a band from Finland that has been featured before in this zine and plays a psychedelic form of black metal and this is a review of their 2009 album "Muukalainen Puhuu" which will be re-issued in May by 20 Buck Spin.

Psychedelic sounds along with synths start off the album and they also mix in with the heavier sections of the songs along with the solos and leads bringing in a very melodic and atmospheric style while the vocals are mostly grim black metal screams and all of the musical instruments have a very powerful sound to them.

Slide guitars can be heard in certain sections of the recording while the riffs also bring in a decent amount of melody and when the music speeds up a great amount of tremolo picking and blast beats can be heard which also gives the songs more of a raw feeling and some tracks also bring in a small amount of acoustic guitars.

Throughout the recording you can hear a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with some of the tracks being very long and epic in length while blast beats can be heard during some of the faster sections of the music and the songs also bring in a great amount of diversity along with some 60's influences.

On this recording Oranssi Pazuzu took a very atmospheric style of black metal and mixed it in with psychedelic music to create something very original for its time, the production sounds very professional while the lyrics are written in Finnish and cover cosmos and abstract themes.

In my opinion this was a very great sounding recording from Oranssi Pazuzu and if you are a fan of psychedelic black metal, you should check out this re-issue. RECOMMENDED TRACKS INCLUDE "Korppi" "Suuri Paa Taivaasta" and "Kerettilainen Vuohi". 8 out of 10.